America is declining in relative influence.
The systemic causes of this decline is our success.
Our decline has been needlessly accelerated in the last two years.

First, it is obvious that America is declining in relative influence. If you live in some awful place like south-side Chicago or Detroit, having a relatively modest amount of money — and guns — can make you a big player. If you get a professional job and move to a nice neighborhood, you will have less relative influence over your neighbors. You’ll also be much happier and safer. Similarly, the world is no longer politically shattered as it was in 1945, or 1989. Instead, much of the world’s population live in large, growth-oriented blocs (the most vital of which are the America Free Trade Areas, the European Union, China, and India)

Second, our long-term relative decline is in our interests. It is better to live in a safer world than a dangerous one, even if that means its less likely that you get to use your weapons to get your way. Likewise, it is better to live in a richer world than a poorer one. We want to prevent war, and the best way to do this is to create a trade-based, integrated world where war is unthinkable.

Some also worry about the economy as a whole, and note that while turning the sick into the well helps the economy (and thus all of us together), transforming mortality into morbidity hurts the economy (and thus all of us together).

If we are going to get costs under control, we will need a Federal Health Reserve which uses scientific approaches to minimizes both mortality and morbidity, and is protected from politics so that the rage of the berieved does not hurt all of us together.